The
necessity and advantage of the grace of love. 4-7. Its excellency
represented its properties and effects; 8-13, and by its abiding, and its
superiority.

Ver.1-3. The excellent way had in view in the close
of the former chapter- is not what is meant by charity in our common use
of the word, alms­-giving, but love in its fullest meaning; true love to
God and man. Without this, the most glorious gifts are of no account to
us, of no esteem in the sight of God. A clear head and a deep
understanding, are of no value without a benovolent and charitable heart.
There may be an open and lavish hand, where there is not a liberal and
charitable heart. Doing good to others will do none to us, if it be not
done from love to God, and good-will to men. If we give away all we have,
while we withhold the heart from God, it will not profit. Nor even the
most painful sufferings. How are those deluded who look for acceptance and
reward for their good works, which are as scanty and defective as they are
corrupt and selfish !

4-7. Some of the effects of charity are stated, that
we may know whether we have this grace; and that if we have not, we may
not rest till we have it. This love is a clear proof of regeneration, and
is a touchstone of our pro­fessed faith in Christ.-In this beautiful
description of the nature and effects of love, it is meant to show the
Corinthians that their conduct had, in many respects, been a contrast to
it. Charity is an utter enemy to selfishness; it does not desire or seek
its own praise, or honour, or profit, or pleasure. Not that charity
destroys all regard to ourselves, or that the charitable man should
neglect himself and all his interests. But charity never seeks its own to
the hurt of others, or to neglect others. It ever prefers the welfare of
others to its private advantage.—How good-natured and amiable is
Christian charity! How excellent would Christianity appear to the world,
if those who profess it were more under this Divine principle, and paid
due regard to the com­mand on which its blessed Author laid the chief
stress !—Let us ask whether this Divine love dwells in our hearts. Has
this principle guided us into be­coming behaviour to all men? Are we
willing to lay aside selfish objects and aims? Here is a call to
watchfulness, diligence, and prayer.

8-13. Charity is much to be preferred to the gifts on
which the Corinthi­ans prided themselves. From its longer continuance. It
is a grace, lasting as eternity. The present state is a state of
childhood, the future that of man­hood. Such is the difference between
earth and heaven. What narrow views, what confused notions of things, have
children when compared with grown men ! Thus shall we think of our most
valued gifts of this world, when we come to heaven.—All things are dark
and confused now, compared with what they will be hereafter. They can only
be seen as by the reflection in a mirror, or in the description of a
riddle ; but hereafter our knowledge will be free from all obscurity and
error. It is the light of heaven only, that will remove all clouds and
darkness that hide the face of God from us.-To sum up the excellences of
charity, it is preferred not only to gifts, but to other graces, to faith
and hope. Faith fixes on the Divine revelation, and assents thereto,
relying on the Divine Redeemer. Hope fastens on future happiness, and
waits for that; but in heaven, faith will be swallowed up in actual sight,
and hope in enjoyment. There is no room to believe and hopewhen we see and enjoy. But there, love will be made perfect.
There we shall perfectly love God. And there we shall perfectly love one
another. Blessed state! how much surpassing the best below! God is love, 1
John iv. 8, 16. Where God is to be seen as he is, and face to face, there
charity in its greatest height; there only will it be perfected.

Matthew Henry

Morning and
Evening

MORNINGMarch l2

"Thou shalt love thy neighbour." —
Matthew 5:43

“LOVE thy neighbour." Perhaps he rolls in
riches, and thou art poor, and living in I

little cot side-by-side with his lordly mansion; thou
seest every day his estates, his fine linen, and his sumptuous banquets;
God has given him these gifts, covet not his wealth and think no hard
thoughts concerning him. Be content with thine own lot, if thou canst not
better it, but do not look upon thy neighbour, and wish that he were as
thyself. Love him, and then thou wilt not envy him.

Mayhap, on the other hand, thou art rich, and near
thee reside the poor. Do not scorn to call them neighbour. 0wn, that thou
art bound to love them. The world calls them thy inferiors. In what are
they inferior? They are far more thine equals than thine inferiors, for
"God hath made of one blood all people that dwell upon the face of
the earth.” It is thy coat which is better than theirs, but thou art by
no means better than they. They are men, and what art thoumore than that? Take heed that thou love thy neighbour even though
he be in rags, or sunken in the depths of poverty.

But, perhaps, you say, "I cannot love my
neighbours, because for all I do they return ingratitude and contempt.”So much the more room for the heroism of love. Wouldst thou be a
feather-bed warrior, instead of bearing the rough fight of love? He who
dares the most, shall win the most; and if rough be thy path of love,
tread it boldly, still loving thy neighbours through thick and thin. Heap
coals of fire on their heads, and if they be hard to please, seek not to
please them, but to please thy Master; and remember if they spurn thy
love, thy Master hath not spurned it, and thy deed is as acceptable to Him
as if it had been acceptable to them. Love thy neighbour, for in so doing
thou art following the footsteps of Christ.